Interview: Skeletal Remains
One of the best things about playing with other people is learning totally new approaches to writing that you would never have been exposed to otherwise. Every project has taught me something new that I’ve added to my arsenal of techniques and built upon.
To say Brian Rush is always working on music is an understatement. Being involved in multiple projects is his normal state of affairs. We’re talking numerous active (3-5 at any one time it seems), not including live work with various bands (he recently pulled live double-duty, jumping on bass with Incantation while already touring alongside them with Skeletal Remains), plus numerous mixing, engineering, and mastering efforts. Bluntly, Brian has become a crucial member of the thriving Pacific Northwest extreme metal scene and beyond. He recently discussed several topics with J. Donovan Malley, including managing multiple projects, his label Pale Magus Productions, some of his influences and favorite gigs, and much more.
E&D: The sheer number of projects you are involved in is mindblowing. How the hell do you keep them all going at the same time? Are there differences in the creative processes of the various bands you’re involved with? How do you deal with these differences? When writing new material, do you have a clear idea of which band the material will be used for, or do you determine what band a riff (using riff as an example here) will be used for AFTER you write it?
Rush: Yeah it does seem like a lot, but the workload waxes and wanes. I also pick up music relatively fast because it’s something I enjoy doing, and have worked at it since junior high; trying to learn songs by ear, writing my own, or trying different recording techniques. You can learn a lot by trying to run a Tascam 4-track deck into Sound Recorder and looping it back into your computer through a 4-channel mixer over and over again! Different projects weave in and out with periods of activity and inactivity. Many are really on hold at the moment (Luctum, Dehiscence, Empyrean Fire, Power Beast, Dishonor). There is more material written for all of these projects, but due to workload and personal schedules, it’s difficult to get them completed. 2% of the process is writing, which is fun, and then 98% of it is just tedious work pulling all the other pieces together. I learned to wear a lot of different hats in order to do music more efficiently, which is the main reason behind getting into audio engineering. I’ve significantly minimized the time and money spent relying on other people’s services.
Every project is different and requires different ways of doing things every step of the way. Absolutely, creative processes vary, as some projects have a sole writer and some are entirely collaborative. It’s important to understand what the vision is for a band and how to work with it. One of the best things about playing with other people is learning totally new approaches to writing that you would never have been exposed to otherwise. Every project has taught me something new that I’ve added to my arsenal of techniques and built upon. For the music I write personally, it’s always with the intent that the material will be used someday. So when the time is available, I’ll riff for a couple of hours, but will also record these ideas as I write, usually to a click and/or drum machine depending on the project. This way minimal time is wasted between writing and recording. (Tip: Go back and record the final strings AFTER drums are completed for a tighter product!) I can’t stress enough how helpful it is to just record onto a DAW and be able to see and arrange riffs in the moment. You don’t have to hold riffs or song structures in your head unless it’s going to be played live, at which point you can always just go back and re-listen to what’s recorded. Every time I sit down to write is a new iron in the fire or casting one that’s already there. The original project file eventually takes shape into an album. Drums may be recorded using that same click if it’s the type of music that necessitates it, followed by re-recording guitars and whatever else is needed. Sometimes, I write specifically for a project, other times will just be for fun, and then see what it can be used for later, or if it should become it’s own thing. There are currently about 40 unfinished albums I’ve written over the last 20 years just sitting on a hard drive. For example, I’m really stoked about this psychedelic/goth/doom album I wrote in 2018. But finding the time just to reamp the guitars and finish the synths is near impossible.
E&D: Tell me more about your label Pale Magus Productions. How long has it been around? What’s the vision behind it? Has your approach changed over time? What are the biggest challenges you have to deal with and how do you try to overcome them?
Rush: Pale Magus Productions was a dive into audio engineering. It was originally intended to be a black metal/dungeon-synth label as well, and was named to bring about the fantasy/medieval aura associated with these genres (a wise and haggard old wizard who’s able to conjure a variety of aural spells), but I could never really grasp what it took in terms of networking and marketing to be on that side of the industry. I’ve thought a lot about changing the name to more accurately reflect what I do now, but just never got around to it. Nowadays I don’t engineer much anymore because of the need to finish my own projects. Sitting in front of a computer for hours at a time editing and mixing is really draining. At the time, I powered through it, but now there is so much more demanding my attention, pulling me away from this kind of work. Maybe one day in the future.
E&D: Who were the first artists or musicians you connected with as a kid?
Rush: A lot of the contemporary and classic stuff at the time I did NOT connect with. Music stores and overplay on the radio ruined a lot of bands for me, but made metal that much more awesome! Beyond Slayer, a little Metallica, Emperor, Nile, Cradle of Filth, Cannibal Corpse, Bodom, Napalm Death, Behemoth, etc, some stranger ones that resonated with me at the time were Falkirk, Unholy Grave, Einherjer, Xasthur, Anasarca, Funeral Mist, Secrets of the Moon, Evenfall, Mikill, Impious, Dead Infection, Therion, Foscor, Destroyer 666, Enthroned, Fleshgrind, Summoning, Graveworm, and on and on. There were so many, but I think this list represents the majority I spent most time with, at least in the Summer of 03’. These were simply the first bands I heard that were so ethereally different from the nu-metal and metalcore we were spoon-fed at the time, and I latched on to them. They were either found on compilation CDs, which were free at record stores, or on some label websites where at the time, there would be a free-download sampler section. These comps really started my journey into underground metal. It’s interesting now looking back at this; a lot of these bands I’ve moved away from, but a lot I appreciate even more now!
E&D: Who and what are the influences on your music that folks might be most surprised by?
Rush: I really dig psytrance! Don’t know much of anything about this genre, but the music is just constant high energy, a quality it shares with metal. Bypass Unit, Gorilla Dust, and Midnight Climax have been my favorites so far.
E&D: If you had a magic wand and could change one thing about the music industry right now, what would it be and why?
Rush: The condescending holier-than-thou attitude. Of course there are times when we’re all too exhausted or not in the right mindset to talk to people, but if you advertise “anyone just drop me a message or say whatsup at a show” and then give the cold shoulder to people who are actually interested, you’re a fuck.
E&D: What have been the most memorable live shows you’ve been a part of?
Rush: Damn, there have been so many! I’ll share some recent ones off the top of my head.
Death Under the Bridge, Seattle – September 2022 – Abhorrency, Diabolic Oath, Noroth, Funerelic. Such a sick generator show! So many people came out and went absolutely nuts for metal, people puked their guts out, kids skipped school, everything was covered in dust and puke by the end of it. I hope they bring this series back soon.
San Jose, Costa Rica – May 2022 – Cannibal Corpse, Skeletal Remains. Probably the biggest show I’ve played so far. One time I looked up and there were three circle pits going! The crowd and energy was just insane! Aside from the show, it was really cool to meet Cannibal Corpse and their crew and pick Webster’s brain a little bit about Blotted Science. We were also really well taken care of by Blackline Productions.
Action Movie Metal Night 8 (Monster Movie Death Metal Night), Portland – March 2017 – Hyborian Rage, Oxygen Destroyer, Carnotaurus, Power Beast. This was just a really fun show with a super niche theme and my first time meeting OD and Carnotaurus. At the time, Power Beast had Greg from Vornagar on vocals and Xan from Hate Offering on bass. This series is put on by Jason Stares and he kills it every time. Everyone had a blast and I ended up taking home four X-Wing books!
Olympia, Washington – December 2023 – Dripping Decay, Noceur, Thirsting Altar, Old Machines. This was the last show of a weekend run that Thirsting Altar and Old Machines did together the day after we played Hail Santa 13 (Another fucking killer fest by the way). The Crypt is just such a chill place to play. The promoter, Nicole (Death Metal Mama), took really good care of us, and a lot of our friends from Portland showed up to support, so it was just a killer time had by all. It seems like the hunger for metal in the cities south of Seattle is coming back.
E&D: Looking forward to 2024, what are some of the things you’re most excited about?
Rush: Man, 2024 is PACKED! The first thing coming up is that Diabolic Oath is releasing their second full-length, Oracular Hexations on April 5th, followed by a West Coast tour with Aberration in May. This one was organized by Hierophant Booking. They’ll be hitting these cities:
+5/1 – Eugene – John Henry’s
+5/2 – Santa Rosa – Arlene Francis Center
5/3 – Long Beach – Supply & Demand
5/4 – Los Angeles – Towne Square
5/5 – Oakland – Eli’s Mile High (matinee show)
5/6 – Eureka – Savage Henry’s
5/7 – Kelso – Erebus
*5/8 – Seattle – Barboza (NWTF pre-party)
*5/9 – Tacoma – New Frontier Lounge
5/10 – Portland – High Water Mark
+5/11 – Seattle – Barboza (NWTF)
+Diabolic Oath only
* Aberration only
I’ll be cruising with them for this run, but have to drop off early to start the May tour with Skeletal Remains. Bummed I have to miss NWTF, but duty calls. The May tour is with Exhumed and Morbikon and features a few days at a time with some really sick new-ish bands, Upon Stone, Flesher, Bonginator, and No/Mas.
This Summer, as long as I’m not playing somewhere, just looking forward to attending Cascadian Midsummer and the new Begotten festival (black/death/doom) in Washington. The festivals at Red Hawk and the Ghost Town have always been a great time, and 2024 should be no exception.
Old Machines will be releasing a one-track demo this Summer which will be followed by a release show in Portland, so stay tuned for that if you’re a fan of cosmic extreme metal! Also anticipating my last recording (it’s a cover) with Mamorlis, so hopefully that will be out soon.
Skeletal has some European festival dates in August; there will be more dates announced, but this is what I can say for now:
8/1 – Wacken Open Air
8/2 – Dortmund Death Fest
8/7 – Brutal Assault
8/9 – Alcatraz
8/17 – Helsinki Death Fest
…followed by Asia and Australia (dates soon).
There will also be a headlining North America run in the Fall with some unbelievably sick support bands, so stay tuned for that. It’s shaping up to be a legendary tour and any fan of death metal won’t want to miss it!!
E&D: If you had to recommend a few bands generally overlooked in today’s music scene, what would those be?
Rush: Some of these may seem obvious depending on which circles of music you’ve already sunk your teeth into, but off the top of my head:
Drouth, Entrain, Noroth (There are just so so so many more from here in the PNW I wish I could name them all). Others that come to mind are Laceration, Protrusion, Chumbo, Herakleion, Lizard Skin, Teeth, Mitch Murder, Dawn of Nil, and then pretty much anything from Chile: To Kill, Verdugo, Disembowel, Infamovs, Morbid Holocaust, Thirsty Demon, Butamacho, Atomicide, Evil Bitch, Solipnosis. Overall, to anyone reading this who’s not already living in the PNW or Chile, just dip your ears into these scenes for a few minutes and you will find gold.
Ultimately it’s difficult to say which bands are overlooked because it seems like most that pop up on social media gain notoriety almost immediately. I’m sure most people reading this already have their hands deep in the trenches of the current metal scene. Last year, I would’ve recommended Pissrot from Tennessee or Odz Manouk from California, but both have exploded in popularity this past year and are gaining well-deserved recognition. Also have to shout out the now-defunct BSOM from Philadelphia; criminally overlooked. A great mix of death and grind that I’m surprised we don’t hear more often.
E&D: When you find things getting stressful or out of balance, what do you do to try and handle it.
Rush: Honestly, still trying to figure that the fuck out.
Pic by Tommy D.
